Unexpected
by Neurotic Writer
Summary: It's funny how when you're feeling down, the person you least expect can end up brightening your day. Slight Soulsilvershipping


Unexpected

Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon. Obviously.

The soft crunching of leaves alerted her to another's presence, and she was instantly ashamed. Her face flushed even redder as she tried to stop bawling like a child, but all she managed to do was turn her quiet sniveling into hiccuping sobs. The gentle quiet tap of approaching footsteps - she refused to look up even as they got closer. Putting her face in her hands, she waited for them to ask if she was okay so she could tell them to go away. All she wanted right now was peace . . .

The reaction she got, however, was an impatient sigh, followed by a cold, familiar voice. "Stop crying."

Silver! Oh dear God, what was _he _doing there? And better yet, how did he always manage to show up at the most inconvenient times? It was like he had a "ruin-Lyra's-life" radar on his poke gear or something.

She ignored him, continuing her heartbroken tears. Silver - of all people! - was witness to her humiliation, but there was nothing she could do now . . .

"Stop _crying_." He repeated, this time in a more demanding tone, and to her surprise, he slid down the wall so he was sitting next to her. On the other side, people chattered and shopped . . . And talked. She couldn't make out their conversations, but she knew that more than a fair few were talking about _her_. At least here there was no one . . . Except for Silver . . . Who was sitting beside her . . . While she was crying. A sign of the apocalypse, maybe.

In his hands was a newspaper, which he showed her. She read the headline for probably the 20th time that day . . .

CHAMPION LYRA HEARTBROKEN OVER HUMILIATING BREAKUP!

Will the reigning champion be turning in her title?

"He's not worth it."

She looked up at him, her tear-stained face a mask of surprise. Was he . . . Was he trying to comfort her?

"You're the Johto champion." He continued, his voice laced with irritation, but an odd comfort stealing into his words. "You took down Team Rocket all by yourself, and let's face it . . . . You're not terrible looking either. Any guy stupid enough to lose his chance with you wasn't worth it in the first place."

"Why are you -"

"If I keep getting my ass kicked by a girl who cries at the drop of her puffy, over-sized marshmallow hat, how does that make _me _look? Jeeze."

She looked at him for a moment and chuckled. "I guess you're right. That's pretty embarrassing."

He gave her a cold look, then asked quietly "What did you see in a jerk like him anyway?"

"_This, coming from Giovanni's son." _She thought grimly, then replied "Oh, he's not a jerk. He was actually a gentleman. That made me like him. Also . . . He had nice hair."

He was giving her a peculiar look. "Well . . . If redheads turn your engine . . ." at this he cleared his throat. "There's always Flint in Sinnoh."

"Huh . . ."

"Anyway . . ."

"Sorry!" She said, suddenly bursting into tears. Silver looked back at her, startled. "I just . . . I really liked him! I really cared about him and I just . . . I feel so miserable!" She sniffed. "I know you probably can't understand what I'm feeling-"

"_W h a t?_"

"Uh, well . . . I mean, you've never . . ." She stopped, realizing that she was making assumptions. "Silver, have you ever felt like this?"

He got quiet for a moment, then . . . "I have."

"Oh . . . So . . ."

"It didn't work out. I idolized her, but she pretty much saw me as a younger brother or something." He looked away, embarrassed about divulging so much about himself. Really, he pretty much revealed more in those two sentences than he had in all of the conversations they'd ever had.

Lyra watched him for a moment, until he turned on her and asked with his usual gruffness "What are you looking at?"

"I . . . thanks." At his raised eyebrow, she continued. "Thank you for sitting here with me."

"Oh, yeah whatever. Just . . . Stop crying already. You look like crap." He pushed himself up and held his hand out to her, frowning irritably as if she were inconveniencing him. Still, she put her hand in his and he pulled her to her feet. Their hands stayed connected a moment longer than was absolutely necessary before he shoved his balled fists into his pockets.

"Silver . . ."

"Look, I guess I'll be seeing you around or whatever."

" You'll be at Dragon's Den?"

"At the usual time." He replied, then shot her a curious look. " . . . Will _you _be there?"

That earned him a shaky smile - he'd never know it, but it warmed her heart to know he was curious. For a moment, she even let herself believe he _wanted _to see her there . . .

"Please, I'm upset, but I'm not going to let that stop me from battling. And I'm certainly _not _giving up my champion title, so don't go thinking this means you can actually beat me."

"To defeat you in your current state would be an embarrassment on myself. When I beat you - and we both know I will - you're going to be at your best." He looked at his watch impatiently. "_Anyway_, I'm leaving now. Pull yourself together and get back to training or something."

Without even a goodbye, he turned away from her. Another watery smile crossed her face as she watched him stride away, and she began walking in the opposite direction. New Bark wasn't far . . . Maybe she would walk home instead of fly - the sky was beginning to turn a beautiful golden hue, and she felt for the first time that day that she could appreciate things like that . . .

Of course when she got home, she would put her head in her mother's lap and cry out her sorrows. But just for the moment, she allowed herself a small smile as thoughts of her rival crowded out those of Lance.

X( Sorry for this . . . It's late, and I'm not too proud of it. It's a short thing I decided to write in between a soulsilvershipping project-type thing I'm working on. I really hope I didn't make them too out of character, though I worry I completely screwed up Silver. -dies-

I'm actually considering posting a second part (maybe with a kiss this time! But then again . . . Maybe not.) so if you like this, keep an eye out. And even if this is a poorly written, ooc piece of crap, let me know! Because I would love to know how I could improve. J


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